St. Barbara

St. Barbara is a legendary martyr. She was born to a wealthy family in today’s Turkey in the 3rd century. The beautiful, witty and wise girl converted to Christianity. When she told her father about it, he denounced her to the Romans. Barbara was first subjected to horrible torturing and then beheaded by her own father who, a moment later, was struck by lightening (this is believed to have happened in the year of 306). The attributes of St. Barbara are mostly a chalice with alter-bread or a monstrance, a tower with three windows (where her father wanted to put her), a sword or hammer (the instruments of torture), a small figure of her father by her feet and sometimes a torch or peacock. She is a protector of many professions: miners, farmers, architects, hodmen, roofers, masons, founders, blacksmiths, stonemasons, carpenters, grave-diggers, hatters, cooks and butchers as well as girls, gunners and prisoners, Barbara also protects towers and helps people in need.